Pac-12 Football: 5 teams on upset alert in Week 2
By Zach Bigalke
It almost feels silly putting this game on the list. No. 6 USC is projecting as a six-point favorite against No. 14 Stanford. That is despite the Trojans looking far worse in their home opener than the Cardinal did across the Pacific in the Land Down Under. Sure, Western Michigan is a higher-caliber Group of Five program than Rice.
Either way, these teams are probably going to play another classic. It will likely be closer than last year’s 27-10 Stanford demolition of the Trojans. But over the past decade, the Cardinal has owned USC’s number. Last year’s win was the third straight in the rivalry series for Stanford, and their seventh win in the past nine editions.
It is foolhardy to think that USC is going to win this game by a touchdown. While Stanford has generated blowouts against the Trojans, USC’s last two wins in the series both came by only a field goal. Fans at the Coliseum will once again be on high alert for an upset in the Pac-12 opener for both the Trojans and Cardinal.
Stanford has a far stingier defense than the Broncos brought to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, even without Solomon Thomas. They have a veteran offense that hasn’t missed a beat since Christian McCaffrey went on to the NFL. If any team is winning by a full touchdown, it will be the visitors.